X

Get FREE Email Updates

Sign Up

Dave's Travel Corner

Seeing the World One Step at a Time

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Guides
  • Journals
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Links
  • Interviews
  • About

journals

Visitor submitted travel journals. Submission guidelines


3 Historical UK City’s To Visit This Summer!

June 6, 2016 by Tilly-Jayne KidmanLeave a Comment

Are you heading to the UK this summer? Perhaps you’re planning a little ‘Staycation’ or maybe you’re visiting from abroad to discover the bright lights of London town. Either way, there are some stunning areas of the country that should most definitely be explored at least once in your lifetime!

Having made the decision around February last year to discover more of my own country, my eyes have been truly opened. For some reason, I’ve always overlooked the UK having grown up here since birth in favour of European city breaks and trips to the middle East and US. I can’t believe how little attention I gave to my own country, but hey – better late than never right?! Since leaving my student days (sob) and entering full time employment, it has meant that trips are less spontaneous and more organised. It also means that I’m now limited as to how often I can go abroad, so naturally, it made sense to utilise my weekends off to jump into the car to explore a new city – no airplane required!

Here are my top 3 city’s visited so far – I hope these help for anyone thinking of visiting the UK, there’s so much more to see than just London, trust me!

bath

Photo credit: my own.

Bath

How it took me 23 years of my life to visit this city, I don’t know! It really stole my heart and I could actually see myself one day living here. Every corner you turn there’s something of beauty, and so many gorgeous buildings. I spent less than 48 hours in the city but still got to visit so many parts and felt I got a great taste for the true Bath. So where to start? Be sure to visit the Roman Baths, it’s an obvious but a total must do! It’s a fantastic historical site and extremely well preserved, providing an amazing insight into the lives (and bathing rituals!!) of the Roman people. Other worthwhile sights include the beautiful Royal Crescent, a row of stunning Georgian building offer a fabulous view! The Pump Room is essential if you’re stopping for afternoon tea, I know lots of visitors seem to find this a very ‘British’ thing to do! Although to be honest, I’ve only done it a few times myself haha. There’s also the Jane Austen Museum for literature fans, or the Bath Fashion Museum for fashionistas. I love the fact that much of Bath is made of quirky, independent boutiques rather than chains. There are some lovely little shops to have  peruse in!

york shambles

Photo credit: my own.

York

Another stunning town full of history, is York! I only made a visit for the first time ever back in January but I’ve been recommending it to friends ever since. There’s something particularly charming about York and I will definitely be back for another weekend. In terms of accessibility, if you have a car it’s super easy. Just straight up the A1 if you’re approaching from the South. York has a rich history and there is plenty to see and do, make sure you visit the recently re-opened York Dungeons for a gruesome time. It’s really good fun and I don’t know how the actors remain so serious! There’s also the York museum, which I actually really enjoyed and it gives you a great understanding of the history of York and there’s a really cool fake Victorian street which they’ve created. I also visited the cathedral whilst visiting, which fun fact – is the largest Gothic Cathedral in Europe. Impressive huh? I made the mistake of thinking climbing to the top was a good idea. Whilst the view was stunning, my legs almost fell off. Bear that in mind people. For chocolate lovers, the York Chocolate Story will be right up your street! York has a strong background in chocolate, which you’ll begin to notice as you explore the city! Oh and there’s some great traditional English pubs too, in case you need a quick beverage pit-stop ;).

cambridge uk

Photo credit: my own.

Cambridge

The world-famous University makes Cambridge a tourist hotspot, but it hasn’t ruined the charm of this quaint city. One thing you have to do when visiting is go punting! When you think of Cambridge, punting generally springs to mind as the city is famous for it. Even the Beckhams were spotted on a punt here last summer. Other key activities include; a visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum (plus it’s free – check out the latest exhibitions here!) and also the University’s botanic gardens a great activity for a summers day. There are plenty of great restaurants, bars and pubs for foodies (and a famous fudge kitchen on Kings Parade which I highly recommend) plus the city is home to a few theaters and there’s generally always something on! If by the end of your trip you’re exhausting from exploring this wonderful city, I would recommend a trip to the nearby Bedford Lodge Spa. They have a super cool rooftop hot tub which generally eases those aches and pains! It’s definitely worth a trip, and I would say a long weekend (say 3 nights) is just perfect for soaking up all the city has to offer. I’m yet to visit its rival Oxford, but maybe that could be my next trip!

I’d love to hear of any UK destinations that you love!

Related posts:

Cambridge Punting Tour8 Things to do in Cambridge, UK 10 Things You Don’t Want to Miss in New York A Summer Holiday on a Budget Most Popular Cities you should Visit in 2013 Visit Liechtenstein – June 2016

Filed Under: Europe · Tagged: Britain, Chocolate, England, Europe, Fashion, History, Lodge, London, Museum, Restaurants, Shopping Mall, Spa

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Want an avatar to show with your comments? Get a free Gravatar

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow @DaveDTC

Get FREE Email Updates  I

Categories

Journals — Home

  • Africa
  • Antarctica
  • Asia
  • Australia
  • Caribbean
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • North America
  • South America
  • South Pacific
  • Other

Latest Posts

  • Rediscovering Lithuania’s Springtime Nature:…
  • Taiwan-Based STARLUX Airlines Launches First Trans…
  • National Harbor Celebrates Cherry Blossom Season w…
  • The Hollywood Sign Trust Announces Plans To Build …
  • My Visit To Israel

Explore

  • Above the Clouds
  • Guides
  • Highlight of the Month
  • Interviews
  • Journals
  • Press Releases
  • Videos

Prepare

  • Book Reviews
  • Pack List
  • Quiz: Geography
  • Quiz: Travel
  • Tour Booking
  • Travel Insurance
  • Travel Products

Share

  • Contribute
  • Forums
  • Links
  • Photos

About

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Contributors
  • Email Dave
  • Media Coverage
  • Media Kit
Hi I'm Dave. After a life changing trip in 1996, I began this site as a creative outlet to educate, inspire and share travel experiences. Read more...
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Return to top of page
Copyright © 1996–2023 Dave's Travel Corner · All Rights Reserved · Log in

7ads6x98y